BT Updates on Expanded Pilots of New UK Digital Voice Rollout
Broadband ISP BT has today confirmed that they will restart the national UK rollout of their new Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) based Digital Voice product from April 2023, which will start gradually with a series of expanded pilot schemes that will be made up of “lower usage landline customers” who already have full fibre broadband.
Just to recap. The Digital Voice product was designed to replace BT’s old analogue phone service, which will cease to function once the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is completely withdrawn by December 2025. After that point, all future phone services, whether delivered via copper (ADSL, FTTC, G.fast) or full fibre (FTTP) lines, will become IP (internet) based and require broadband to function.
Like it or not, the old analogue voice service has long been destined for the rubbish bin of history. Part of this relates to the switch to Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines, which work in a completely different way, as well as the inevitable withdrawal of copper lines to follow (i.e. it is not economically viable to retain both). On top of that, very few people today make much use of their landline phone (most prefer mobile, VoIP and internet messaging), which is now considered to be more of an optional add-on.
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However, many consumers often only become aware of this transition once they start to be directly impacted by it, which is despite the change being telegraphed for years in advance (see our 2017 article). But once aware, people soon start to discover some of the service’s well-known caveats – most of which are common to all VoIP solutions.
Firstly, the setup of Digital Voice, and similar IP based voice products from other providers, is more complex because you have to plug your handset into a broadband router or ATA (analogue) adapter instead of the wall socket (more details). On top of that, a lot of old systems designed for the analogue service (e.g. home alarms, remote medical monitoring etc.) don’t function with IP based lines and need to be upgraded.
However, the loudest gripes came from those – particularly vulnerable consumers and landline-only phone users – who quickly discovered that IP based phone services tend to fail in a power cut as they can’t be remotely powered. In order to resolve this, ISPs need to deploy Battery Backup Solutions for your handset, router and ONT (the latter is only relevant if you have FTTP), but these will only last for an hour or a little more. Hard luck if you need to call 999 in an area with no mobile signal, during a protracted power outage.
Naturally BT, as the largest UK player in the transition to IP based phone services (and one with the greatest proportion of landline-only customers), took most of the flak – perhaps unfairly given that it’s an industry-wide challenge – for these issues and ended up suspending their Digital Voice rollout last year. The operator has since been planning to restart the rollout, albeit with a few changes.
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What’s New?
Until now, BT has confined their Digital Voice trials to pilot schemes in Salisbury and Mildenhall. But from April 2023 they’ll start expanding those pilots to include lower usage landline customers (those who have a full fibre broadband connection already) in more locations.
Customers will be contacted 4 weeks before making the switch, to help ensure they’re ready. For most people, this will just involve connecting your handsets to BT’s router instead of a wall socket, but BT will supply an adapter for the 5% of cases where this doesn’t work.
However, some customers may have additional needs, thus over the next 12 months, during the early phase of the expanded trials, BT won’t be switching customers who fall under any of the below criteria (where they can identify it). These customers will be delayed from switching as work continues with stakeholder groups to make sure they have the most suitable options and support available to make the move.
➤ Customers with a healthcare pendant
➤ Customers who are over 70
➤ Customers who only use landlines
➤ Customers with no mobile signal
➤ Customers who have disclosed any additional needs
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The next stage will then begin during the summer (2023), when BT will start inviting customers to switch to Digital Voice on a region-by-region basis. Once again, this will initially focus on those who already have full fibre broadband. This will be supported by a large information and advertising campaign, as well as local community engagement activities, to help educate people. BT also reiterated some of the other improvements they’ve made.
BT’s Wider Service Improvements
➤ Hybrid phones that can switch to a mobile network and have a built-in battery.
➤ Customers can now nominate a family member, friend or carer who will receive all the information about switching on their behalf.
➤ Existing customers with additional needs such as health pendants, or those without mobile coverage at home, will be able to take advantage of free additional support. These options range from free battery back-up units to engineer supported installations or hybrid landline phones.
➤ We’re also continuing to invest in the Shared Rural Network, improving 4G mobile coverage in more than 900 areas across the UK by the end of 2023.
➤ And we’re continuing to work with healthcare pendant and burglar alarm providers to ensure the most vulnerable customers continue to get the service they need.
Customers who want Digital Voice don’t have to wait for all this, as BT still responds to direct requests for the service. “We understand that any change can be unsettling – that’s why we are here to support our customers every step of the way, to make the experience as seamless as possible,” said BT Consumer’s All-IP Director, Lucy Baker MBE.
The operator has about 10 million customers to migrate by the end of 2025, although it’s unclear how many they’ve already managed to switch. But the reality is that BT – or indeed any ISP – can only do so much on this front to cover for power outages and other issues, while at the same time needing to keep the transition both affordable and practical.
The inherent reality is VoIP solutions work a little differently, and we’ll all have to adapt to that (other countries have faced the same challenges) because no amount of criticism will reverse the move away from older copper and analogue phone services. BT has at least done a lot more to tackle the concerns than a lot of other providers.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Any chance of a cheap and cheerful divert to a mobile?
Cheap and cheerful divert? there’s a company called 2ndNumber that can move your landline number into the cloud and then divert it to mobile. costs about £3 a month if i recall.
£85 for UPS is so steep in a cost of living crisis. I personally think it should be free across the shot to anyone who wants one. Also I think it should be only FTTP customers being pushed over to this service as is pointless putting fake fibre customers on it. Us FTTC bunch who don’t have a reliable service due to copper. Do the fibre rollout fibre then this stupid move to VOIP.. I know it’s moving with the times but when I had a power cut last year I had sod all phone signal neither as the power to the mast went too so I had zero means of contact for atleast 4-5 hours when it happened last summer. None of this was taken in to consideration.
Not everyone needs a UPS, if you need one and don’t like the cost buy a cheaper one.
No it shouldn’t be free otherwise the cost gets passed on to everyone else.
It’s a power bank, the battery backup? I have a few power banks
@FibreFred, but why should people have to buy a UPS? After all they did not ask for BT to change the phone system, BT is only doing it to save money, that is all.
Supplied with 2 VOIP phones 3 years ago. I have copper feed for broadband, BT disconnected landline after phones were connected to router. Been working since change with no problems.
I don’t want it. We all better off using unlimited calls on the mobile. Sod BT.
VoIP is optional the way phone line are just now you need a landline with broadband. VoIP is an optional add on
I think BT would like you to do that as well, it would be a lot easier for them.
@Mark Jackson – have BT indicated how the propose to provide a Digital Voice service where the only broadband service is very poor ADSL? I can think of at least one village where all they have from BT is ADSL over 50+ year old Aluminium lines delivering a very flakey 1-3Mbits/s service.
With the stability and speed issues I don’t see how Digital Voice would meet their USO obligations over that, is this where the mobile backup part comes in?
And on a wider piece has anyone looked at how much extra this is going to cost phone only customers in Electricity? Going from a phone powered by the line or possibly a cordless phone, to a router, possibly and ONT and the phone? Overall I suspect powering down the PSTN equipment will reduce the power UK wide, the end users pay more whilst Openreach less.
Voice traffic only needs a tiny amount of speed and so even a slow ADSL line can handle it. But Openreach has a solution like SOGEA for ADSL, which is called SOTAP:
https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/copper/sotap
They could also, if they so chose, swap the DSLAM for an MSAN that can then take over the ATA role. This would also stop broadband usage impacting on phone conversation quality. TalkTalk have done it that way for ages.
It wasn’t the speed here, but the poor quality of the connection. I’m fully aware of SoTAP, Openreach briefed that one out back in 2017/18 but are still to launch it.
Frequently dropping connections and constant packet loss on poor aluminium lines for ADSL will mean a poor experience for the customer and BT will struggle to meet the standards needed under the general conditions especially around emergency calls. That is my question how are BT going to ensure high quality reliable emergency calls running over a flakey ADSL connection?
With slow lines they will need QoS but poor quality erroring and dropping lines need a different solution.
@wireless pacman BT have MSANs, their original plan to close down the PSTN was the solution you mention, there may even be the old Pathfinder exchange running that solution?
Regarding the electricity – if it is paid directly by the consumer it is subject to VAT at 5%. If the ISP pays the cost is passed on to the consumer and taxed at 20%!
The future won’t be any of these technologies – the evolution of Vodafone’s 4G/5G repeater device that will sit in every home eventually to create a mesh of 5G coverage would replace all this shoehorning of OTT technologies over a measly copper wire. It’ll take a bit of time, but when it arrives it’ll be wonderful. if oyu’re in an area that has good 4G/5G, I wouldn’t even entertain going wired anymore, I’ve been wireless for about 3 years and it has eclipsed by FTTC connection.
Almost nothing, the ONT draws 4 or 5 watts, you can use your existing PSTN phone plugged into the hub. The hub (which you need anyway if you have broadband) draws under 9w idle and under 15w in use.
So all in about 20w.
Almost nothing, the ONT draws 4 or 5 watts, you can use your existing PSTN phone plugged into the hub. The hub (which you need anyway if you have broadband) draws under 9w idle and under 15w in use.
So all in about 20w draw. Pennies
Pennies?
20w over a year is 175kWh so about £60 based on the current energy price cap, I’m not sure a lot of people would see that as pennies.
@Anon: “And on a wider piece has anyone looked at how much extra this is going to cost phone only customers in Electricity? Going from a phone powered by the line or possibly a cordless phone, to a router, possibly and ONT and the phone?”
It depends who you are. The majority of Virgin Media customers already have a hub and the remainder will be required to get a hub when their old TiVo STBs are replaced with 360 STBs. So, there will be little impact when a handset is plugged into a hub’s RJ11 port.
You might ask about telephone-only customers. I think that there must be few of them left and if they remain customers of VM they will have to be supplied with a hub in order to keep their phone service, but it’s likely to be so costly that it would make sense to switch to another operator.
Wonder if they’ve removed the need to dial the area code for every number you want to call. This is such a hindrance to those so used to dialling their friends numbers who live round the corner.
1 srep forward, 3 steps back. It’s soo annoying..
Nope, that’s not going away. But many phones do have memory buttons.
Seriously?
VoIP phones from the likes of Yealink and Panasonic that I have used have the option to program it with your local dialing code, so if it detects a 6 digit number it simply inserts the dialing code for you. I’m not sure why it should be an issue with any device, however I suspect given in time area codes will no longer identify an area (as people take their numbers with them when they move), we will lose the concept of a local area code being local to an area, so it educates people to use the full number and avoids another “area code switch off” type of transition later. To be fair most younger people always use the full number, they are used to this with mobile numbers, and will need the full number saved in their address book when calling mobile to landline.
@phil and there’s a problem because a lot of the numbers in our local area code were only 5 digits and so this solution does not pick that up.
Luckily the younger generation just message. I’m not sure they even know what an area code is. I know plenty that don’t know the difference between a mobile and landline number. That’s progress.
@Alex that should be handled OK by a proper local-area specific dialplan or, in the worst case, an inter-digit timeout
Another issue which they don’t tell you is that you are forced to use their rubbish provided router because they will not provide you a external VoIP device or Voip logon details. Or have like isp on other European countries have a bridge mode where the Voip on the isp router will work while being able to using your own router to connect to the internet via pppoe.
Just to add that KCOM are doing things a little differently. They are plugging ATA adapters direct into the ONT and not the router. It’s not reliant on an internet connection and will work as long as the optical connection is up. Much more reliable, and of course Battery Back Up units are being supplied to vulnerable customers
Openreach started off doing FVA (fibre voice access) via an ATA port on their ONTs.
Only BT sold this but it has been withdrawn from sale by Openreach and the current ONTs no longer have the ATA port.
That worked over the PON connection via a separate VLAN and required no router.
BT wouldn’t be able to bring this back, having no control over Openreach’s ONTs.
Openreach don’t want anything to do with voice. They wasn’t the ISP to do everything.
Neves understood why, for the small number of customers with no mobile reception they can’t install an optional battery pack but WITH a ‘press to call’ switch that activates the phone for 10 minutes. In a power cut you press the button and make a call for help. An hour later you press the button to make a second call to chase what progress has been made. Only need 1 hour battery pack for total 60 minutes call time.
There are some misconceptions around this move. The article states that “you have to plug your handset into a broadband router or ATA (analogue) adapter instead of the wall socket”, this gives the impression that you will have one handset sat wherever your router is. I have used VOIP for seven years now and from day one I’ve had my ATA adapter connected into my original house phone wiring meaning that I can plug a normal handset into any room that has a socket.
Also there is an impression that this is all about copper versus fibre when in fact it’s about the retirement of the switching equipment in exchanges which I guess eventually will enable BT to condense their property footprint to either a few central buildings or even large cabinets. This is a logical business plan which follows on from BT selling their exchange buildings to a property company some years ago and leasing them back.
Openreach don’t want people connecting their VOIP to the internal wiring because of the risk of the signal going back down the wires in to the network.
The master sockets don’t prevent.this.
In order to use the internal wiring and extensions you must disconnect the incoming pair from the master socket.
Alternatively the master socket can be modified slightly to achieve the same thing.
Yeah this works but it also requires that you disconnect the incoming copper line to the house.
Of course Openreach won’t tell you to do this since it’s technically modifying their equipment and the ISPs don’t tell you to since once again it is modifying Openreach’s equipment.
But for any homeowner wondering: yeah, it works. Just disconnect the (dead) copper line coming in at the master socket, plug your router into the existing home phone network at any jack point and you have the house wired for VOIP/digital voice/whatever your ISP is calling it.
I’m pretty tekky but I still don’t understand what ‘digital voice’ means, and BT’s website and product specs have no info. I get the line is IP based on the broadband connection. But is the handset DECT? IP-DECT? Something else? Can VOIP phones be used? I gather the ‘adapter’ is a DECT type extension with a analogue socket. What are the 5% of phones that won’t work, and why? (Rotary ones?) What’s the interoperability with other providers? There’s no clarify on any of this that I can find.
Digital voice is BT’s VOIP product, it runs over your broadband. The BT router has a built in DECT reciever which can be used with BT’s included handset or you can use your own with the port on the back.
As for other providers, they have their own similar solution with typically just a phone port on the back of their router. TalkTalk also call it digital voice though it has little to do with BT’s apart from both being VOIP. Some will supply you with a standard ATA so you can use your own router (TalkTalk do this) though all the consumer ones (apart from dedicated voip providers like sipgate or voipfone) do not give out the voip details afaik.
BT’s hybrid phone is a VOIP one with a built in 4G backup.
It’s just VoIP – with loads of acronyms to make it sound like they’ve spent millions developing a new tech. Get a DECT handset with a VoIP baseunit like a Gigaset and you’ve got what BT are shilling.
Forget the whole thing and get a 5G router if coverage permits.
Sky also does this – their router has a phone socket – Just plug in and off you go. They have been doing this over FTTC for years too
In reply to John, the internal wiring and sockets are my property installed when the house was built for me and separate from the outside world. This could be easily replicated in any home by the owner or an electrician without any problem being caused to the network provider’s equipment.
I am an ex Telecomms engineer, now retired.
Having recently been moved onto FTTP, and taken Digital Voice knowing what it is I discovered the worst piece of mis-selling by BT is that they still say their “CyberArk UPS for FTTP” keeps your voice service running during a power outage. It doesn’t. It used to when the ATA was in the ONT. But cannot anymore.
I have been trying to tell them it doesn’t work – but they don’t seem to understand. I am very concerned they are selling this thinking it gives some short term life line service. Can any body get BT to understand this ?
Why? If the router, ONT and phone (if needed) are all plugged in they should be kept on.
You’re safer with a 4G/5G router – and/or handset if coverage is available. A simple Nokia will have battery life for days and unless the mast in your area goes down (very uncommon) then you’re perfectly connected.
What you’re relying on is a device that will power your router for an hour while the grid is down, and that same grid is probabably powering the local exchange or green cabs if you’re close enough, so the broadband will be down anyway. Pointless and unsafe. You need a mobile connection if you require emergency services. It’s the best of two evils.
I was supplied with two cyber 12 volt ups, one for the ont and one for the hub. Everything works whenpower fails for at least 4 hours. I have 2 bt dect handsets supplied plus my old wired phones connected to the hub. No problems at all
You are correct and I agree with you – removing the ATA from the ONT was a mistake IMHO.
I have just finished but I will pass this onto the higher ups tomorrow. I sell BT Digital voice and FTTP all day long and I always state that it won’t work in a power cut unless there is some form of UPS. It is new agents are trained to understand so should clear it up in time.
@ Steve
I agree. I have good 5G signal but I always have my staff Voip running. I have 200AH of Lifep04 batteries on Renogy inverters with UPS – if the power goes out I am good running everything online for about 46 hours. Ironically in the 4 years I’ve had this system i’ve never had a power cut! (and I would be told if the UPS kicked in)
Nuts huh!
Thanks Alex. So the handset supplied by BT is a normal DECT phone? This sounds like it’s ‘VOIP to the hub’ then DECT? This is different from what I understood to be a VOIP phone (or app), which would get its own IP number.
I’m BTs case correct. All of them have some form of VOIP adapter usually built into the router. BT just have a DECT reciever wired into this as well.
The handset BT supply (or at least used to) is a normal DECT phone.
This is a voip phone, just with some DECT bits attached.
It’s worth adding that if you have one of BT’s standard DECT phones, you can also bind those handsets to the SmartHub 2.
To Alex A,
The CyberArk UPS for FTTP only powers the ONT in a power outage – not the router (SmartHub 2) which now hosts the DECT phone base station and analogue ATA. So customers DO NOT GET continued Voice Service – just a powered ONT, which cannot provide Voice.
The only way this can be solved today is with a full UPS that supports the ONT & SmartHub2 – classic 13Amp multi socket.
I have a number of elderly neighbours who have been moved to FTTP and Digital Voice and have no mobile signal. BT sold them the CyberArk UPS for “999” continuity. When power goes down the ONT sits there with 3 glowing LEDS – but provides no service.
As I said this is a critical mis-sell by BT which they must rectify before something serious happens.
They need to go mobile – you can buy handsets geared for emergency use by elderly people and they work great. Relying on a router, connected by copper, which would degrade if there was a fire, or disconnect if the power outage affects their home AND the local exchange, or if someone drives into the green cab on the street or digs up the cable to the cab. Just simply too risky
Personally I want to use standards based VOIP service using an IP base station and DECT handsets (Gigaset say). That way I can use my own mesh wifi router and not be tied to ISP. Will digital voice allow this? If not, who is offering £10/month VOIP with unlimited calls?
EverydayVOIP will port your number for £6 and then have unlimited voip call plans and a free ATA if you sign a contract.
BT could develop technology to send and use power over FTTP to power routers to enable wired phones connected to FTTP sockets with/without routers to be used even during extended power cuts without the need for UPS.
poor trolling, how do you expect sending power over OPTICAL cables without adding copper wires to it?
Marek: Solar panels. 🙂
NOTE: The move to IP based phone services is NOT limited to BT. The same challenges are industry-wide and affect all providers of phone services. This is often overlooked.
Yea and this is the whole problem… BT continues to be the one and only problem with their control over everything. Government’s should’ve had this all dealt with by now as every ISP is sitting in limbo, people’s renewals are coming up and there is no options to use. EE told me my renewal is Jan 2024, bhut Oct 2023 is my three month and they have no idea and right now are losing business because no one wants to use BT and it’s expensive, poor quality services.
Does anyone have more information about the hybrid handset?
I have been moved to Digital Voice after twice Dayi g I didn’t want to move, due to the lack of continuity in service if there was a power cut and they did also provide me with a free UPS, however this was only to power the ONT, I then had to buy a separate UPS to power the hub etc.
One thing that I don’t think anyone has mentioned, when on Digital Voice I’ve also lost Caller ID, which for my existing BT DECT phones with call blocking, means that I’ve lost this service which was a really useful service
I think there are some inaccuracies in this article. We’ve been moved to Digital voice twice.
The first time back in October 2021. (Near Northwich) We already had full fibre (With an analogue phone line) and were told that we must switch. We informed them that we had a poor mobile signal and that my parents who live with us are vulnerable and rely on the phone line, but they forced us on to it anyway.
We’ve now just moved (Near Shrewsbury) to a property that already had full fibre (Also with an analogue phone line) but when setup our account here, we were also forced onto it. Again we informed them that it was not suitable for the area (We have almost no mobile signal, the OpenReach engineer couldn’t call the office and had to drive down the road to make a call), and that we have vulnerable people living here (They are over 70 and we are on the DNO’s priority services register) but they forced us onto it anyway.
So the claims within the article that it’s limited to Salisbury and Mildenhall, and that there’s a set of criteria for which they delay the switchover, are incorrect in our experience.
I would love to test out VoIP, so I was interested to read @Mark Jackson quote BT:
“Customers who want Digital Voice don’t have to wait for all this, as BT still responds to direct requests for the service. “We understand that any change can be unsettling – that’s why we are here to support our customers every step of the way, to make the experience as seamless as possible,” said BT Consumer’s All-IP Director, Lucy Baker MBE.”
Is this possible, even if I haven’t been invited to trial it? I have the BT Smart Hub 2 but only on VDSL.
We two voip and 1 normal phones full fibre by halo 3 problems not all calls get though on voip so people try again comes though on normal phone crazy
AS a mere ‘phone user perhaps some kindly soul could provide an explanatory glossary for the alphabet soup of letters that, to someone who finds a ‘phone as exciting as cold tea, is completely meaningless. All I want is a phone that is easy to place where I want it in the house without regard to where the router is, and that it just works, no matter what string of letters system it is.